Zoners Turn Down Proposal For 9th St. Rooming House

The Allentown Zoning Hearing Board, in a 2-1 decision this week, denied a request to convert a single-family home at 439 N. 9th St. into a rooming house to accommodate 12-14 persons.

Thirteen neighbors were on hand to object to the variance requested by Robert P. and Martha N. Kemmerer.

The neighbors, indicating they would be more receptive to a conversion of the dwelling into an apartment house, voiced concern over what would happen should the appellant sell the building to another party and the rooming house designation carried over to the new owner.

Mrs. Kemmerer had indicated the rooming house would not be a halfway-type house operation, but a stop-over point for the elderly who were making a transition from a private home to a nursing home or other such care facility.

Two members of the board ruled no legal hardship had been shown why the building couldn't continue to be used as a single-family dwelling. And the board felt the building's conversion to a rooming house would change the character of the neighborhood.

Board Chairman Joseph Fruwirth, who cast the sole vote favoring award of a variance, said he felt a legal hardship had been shown because the building was up for sale for at least eight months with no offers received. He also felt the building was too large for a single-family dwelling in the downtown area.

In other action, the board also denied a subdivision request submitted by Hershel H. Ruhmel who proposed to divide an existing lot at 1885-91 S. 3rd St. into two lots to be known as 1885-87 and 1889-91 S. 3rd St. and construct a twin home on the lots.

Three neighbors were on hand to oppose the request, pointing out to the board there are no twin dwellings in the neighborhood.

The board ruled the appellant had not shown a legal hardship why the property couldn't be developed for single-family use. The board also felt Ruhmel's proposal would change the character of the neighborhood.

The board, meanwhile, granted variance authorizing Lorin A. Hoffman to constructed a one-story attached garage to a new home he is building at 2514-18 Allen St. where there is insufficient rear yard for aproperty in a low density residential district.

The board also granted variance authorizing MER Enterprises, Inc., to convert a vacant sales office at 1124 Tilghman St. into a photography studio, picture framing shop and retail sales of related items. However, the board attached conditions to the approval, stipulating that the owner, Michael E. Rockmaker, cannot erect a pole sign in front of the business and that a spotlight used to illuminate a window sign must be turned off at 8 p.m. daily.

James O. and Sandra H. Lakanal were granted variance permitting their conversion of a vacant woodworking shop area at 1432-42 Union St. into a business sales office and a plumbing contractor's office.

Although five neighbors were on hand to object to the request of Raymond T. and Janese E. Rosevelt to convert the basement area of their home at 1620 E. Greenleaf St. into a dental laboratory, the board approved the request under the home occupation provisions of the zoning code.

The board pointed out that should the Rosevelt's sell the property at some future time, the home occupation approval terminates and is not carried over for a new owner.

While the neighbors feared the proposed use would generate parking problems, testimony indicated Rosevelt would be using the facility as a lab not a clinic, to make dentures for dentists, thus there would be no patients going to the lab.